Yanking open the door curtain, Xia Tian saw Shen Nian collapsed on the kang, one hand clutching his neck, his face turning blue-purple from coughing, gasping rapidly with his mouth wide open.
Xia Tian was nearly scared to death. She rushed over, knelt on the kang, and gently patted Shen Nian's back a few times. Turning her head, she spotted the teapot on the table and hurried down to pour water.
Lifting the teapot, she found it empty. Setting it down, she dashed to the kitchen.
She scooped a bowl of cooled boiled water from the stove, then remembered she had the Spirit Spring. Quickly adding a few drops of Spirit Spring water, she carried the bowl back to the main room.
Entering the room, she first placed the bowl on the kang table. Without even bothering to remove her shoes, she climbed onto the kang, forcefully propped Shen Nian up to lean against her, and began feeding him the water.
Shen Nian was already breathing rapidly, veins bulging on his forehead. With great effort, Xia Tian managed to get half a bowl of water into him, half drunk and half spilled.
Setting the bowl aside, she immediately began rubbing his chest to help him catch his breath.
Only when Shen Nian's breathing eased slightly did Xia Tian relax. She helped him lean slowly against the piled quilts and continued soothing his chest with rhythmic strokes.
A wave of fear washed over Xia Tian—if she had arrived any later, Shen Nian might have…
Noticing Shen Nian had recovered, Xia Tian realized her back was soaked with sweat.
In the earlier tension, she hadn't noticed, but now, relaxed, she saw traces of blood at the corners of Shen Nian's mouth.
Xia Tian's heart sank. So the bloodstains she'd found on his clothes last time were from his coughing. His illness was more severe than she had imagined.
Seeing Shen Nian's hair damp with sweat, Xia Tian went out to prepare a basin of warm water.
After wringing out a towel, she wiped the sweat from his face and neck. Once he recovered a bit more, she would help him change clothes.
She went to the kitchen for another bowl of water, hesitating before adding a few more drops of Spirit Spring water.
Judging by Shen Nian's reaction after drinking the water earlier, the Spirit Spring water seemed effective. She didn't dare add too much, worried that obvious changes would be hard to explain.
Xia Tian took a sip first. Hmm, no particular taste.
In the earlier emergency, she hadn't paid attention, but now, with no urgency, caution was necessary.
After the violent episode, Shen Nian was pale, his hands trembling uncontrollably, his entire body weak.
Xia Tian brought the water to his lips. Without protest, Shen Nian drank the entire bowl in one go from her hand, exhaling deeply as if returning to life.
Xia Tian rubbed his chest gently, relieved to see him feeling less distressed.
Shen Nian watched her movements, too weak to resist. Each time an attack struck, he felt as if he had brushed against the gates of the underworld.
Today's episode was the most dangerous yet—it felt like someone was choking him, suffocating him, his lungs burning as if on fire.
He had almost believed today would be his end.
Lately, his illness had been recurring more frequently, sometimes with coughing up blood. He could feel his life slowly slipping away.
He probably wouldn't live long enough for Mu Feng to find him.
So be it. What use would it be for Mu Feng to find him when he was merely dragging out a feeble existence in this broken body?
Yet, he couldn't accept dying like this—his vengeance unfulfilled, what was rightfully his still unclaimed. How could he rest in peace…
Xia Tian watched the shifting expressions on Shen Nian's face—despair, fury, resentment…
Xia Tian was inwardly startled. This person must have suffered unbearable blows, and perhaps even his illness was man-made.
She didn't know how to comfort him. Without experiencing similar suffering, how could others truly understand his pain?
Xia Tian quietly stayed with him for a while. Seeing Shen Nian's complexion gradually improve and his aloof expression return, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Brother Shen, are you feeling better?"
Shen Nian gave an almost imperceptible nod.
Xia Tian picked up the bowl and spoke gently while looking into his eyes, "Brother Shen, I don't know what you've been through, but I want to tell you that you're a good person. I want you to live. Only by living can there be hope for the things you want to accomplish."
"You don't have to tell me about your condition, but please don't bear everything alone. Though I may not be of much help, I can at least handle tasks like serving tea and water."
"Sometimes physical conditions are affected by one's mood. When the mood improves, half the illness is already cured."
"Isn't the purpose of living in this world to solve one problem after another? Nothing is truly insurmountable."
Xia Tian poured out all these comforting words, unsure if Shen Nian had taken any of it to heart.
Seeing that Shen Nian was fine now, Xia Tian went outside and stood in the courtyard, taking a deep breath.
Over the past few days, though Shen Nian maintained his usual impassive demeanor, he seemed to have seen through the vanity of human life, completely devoid of vitality.
Ordinary people, even when seriously ill, would still try every means to survive, seeking medical treatment with some hope!
But Shen Nian was different. He resisted taking medicine and seeing doctors, as if he had already given up hope of living.
Sigh! She hoped he would come to understand—at least to live less repressed in the days to come.
Xia Tian didn't want anything to happen to Shen Nian either. After all, he was the first person she had been with day and night since arriving in this unfamiliar world.
Even if she might just be a maid in Shen Nian's eyes.
Xia Tian rubbed her face vigorously. No more overthinking—she could only hope the Spirit Spring water would have some effect.
After resting in the room for a while, Shen Nian gradually regained his strength. This time, he seemed to recover faster than before, and the oppressive tightness in his chest also felt much lighter.
A bitter smile touched Shen Nian's lips. He was really overthinking it.
Since the first onset of the poison three years ago, he had lost the carefree life he once had. The chronic poison in his body was like a venomous snake, slowly consuming everything about him.
Even after consulting numerous famous physicians, the poison continued to torment him relentlessly—from occurring once every three months, to once a month, then every half month, until recently, almost daily.
He could barely suppress it anymore. Even renowned doctors said the poison had penetrated deeply, beyond any cure. How could he possibly feel any relief?
Perhaps it was just his desperate hope to recover and survive that created this illusion.
Or maybe he had been influenced by that girl's words earlier, sparking an instinctive will to live…
Xia Tian stood in the courtyard for a while before feeling a chill on her back.
She first went to her room to change her inner clothes, then prepared a basin of warm water to help Shen Nian change his clothes. She took the sweat-soaked garments and washed them directly in the courtyard.
She didn't dare to go far, fearing that something might happen to Shen Nian again.
After finishing the laundry, she thought about resting for a bit.
But then she remembered that Shen Nian had just gone through an episode and was probably hungry, so she decided to start preparing dinner early.
Entering the kitchen, she rinsed some rice and decided to cook plain congee first.
After setting the congee to simmer, she noticed there were no eggs left in the cupboard. She went out to buy a few eggs from Sister-in-law Yao, planning to make some Egg Pancakes.
It was only then that she remembered the bamboo shoots she had dug up earlier hadn't been processed yet. She peeled two of them, intending to make a cold salad dish later.
Tomorrow was market day—she must buy some meat and a chicken to make soup for Shen Nian.
Seeing there was still time, Xia Tian peeled the remaining bamboo shoots, sliced them, and laid them out in the yard to dry.
Worried about Shen Nian, she quietly went in to check on him. He was lying on the kang, his complexion normal and breathing steady, as if asleep.
Xia Tian continued with her tasks. When dinner was ready, she kept it warm in the pot. Only when she heard movement from the main room did she begin setting the meal.
Seeing Shen Nian eat as usual, she felt relieved—today's crisis seemed to have passed.
Lying in bed that night, she let out a long sigh and finally felt somewhat settled.
From encountering the wild boar, to the emergence of the Spirit Spring Space, to Shen Nian's near-death experience—today had truly been a rollercoaster of events!